DALLAS -- In his first start with his new team, center Nerlens Noel notched his second double-double of the season to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 104-100 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at American Airlines Center.

Noel, acquired by the Mavs at the trade deadline, was supposed to get his first start on Wednesday at Atlanta, but he showed up late for the team plane and was punished by coach Rick Carlisle. He didn't waste Friday's opportunity, compiling an All-Star-like stat line of 15 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Noel hit 6 of 10 shots in notching the first 15-point, 15-rebound game of his career.

"It felt great. The past few games the coaches have been encouraging me to learn the system," Noel said. "Tonight is the most comfortable I've felt since I've been here. I'm taking it day-by-day. I'm taking it all in and trying to be patient, but it's hard to when you want to be successful so bad. They believe in me so I'm just happy to be here."

Dallas (25-36) continues to be an improving basketball team as Carlisle goes with a slew of young players, such as newly minted rookie of the month Yogi Ferrell. Ferrell was impressive again against elite Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five assists.

But afterward, the spotlight was squarely on Noel's big night.

"He did a good job. He was very active," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's very difficult to outrebound this team and when you have a guy putting up 17 it gives you a chance. He was a big part of that and offensively he was active around the basket. He got to the free throw line a few times, which is good. He did a very good job."

The Mavs got a team-high 24 points from shooting guard Seth Curry, and Harrison Barnes added 18. Forward Dirk Nowitzki, who is nearing 30,000 career points, had just 10 points to go with seven rebounds.

The Grizzlies (36-26) trailed by one at halftime, but fell behind 70-60 in the third quarter, a lead Dallas managed to maintain until Memphis clawed to within 94-90 as Dallas missed its last nine field-goal attempts of the game.

With a chance to make it a two-point game with less than 50 seconds to go, Nowitzki managed to knock the ball away from Memphis center Marc Gasol, who was then whistled for a foul going for the loose ball.

"It didn't go well, the way we wanted definitely," Gasol said. "Our defense wasn't consistent enough and that dictated our offense. Our defense was frustrating and it carried on to our offense and we never got in a rhythm and never got enough stops to get confidence and we lost."

Memphis coach David Fizdale didn't like the call and earned a technical foul. Nowitzki hit the extra free throw and Ferrell calmly hit two free throws earned on the foul by Gasol, who finished with 13 points on just 6-of-18 shooting, for a seven-point lead.

"By then, we were desperate. We cut it to four and you're fighting for your life then," Fizdale said. "But why should it be a four-point game at that point if you would have played the whole game hard and really did it with focus and together with your team? But we didn't do that."

Conley led the Grizzlies with a game-high 30 points, and forward Zach Randolph had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Former Mavs forward Chandler Parsons continued his struggles with just seven points for Memphis.

NOTES: Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki needs 38 points to become the sixth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. ... G Wesley Matthews (hip) missed his second consecutive game. He is expected back for Sunday's game against Oklahoma City. ... G Devin Harris finished Friday's game with a season-high six assists. ... Memphis held Dallas to 64 points in their first meeting of the season in November. The teams play twice more in the final 20 games. ... Grizzlies C Brandan Wright was not with the team for personal reasons. ... F Chandler Parsons is expected to try to play in Saturday's game at Houston.